Valencia

The traces of a Roman and Moorish past

For many, Valencia’s enviable perch on the Mediterranean Sea would be enough of a draw in itself. Spain’s third-largest city and one of the main ports of call on an MSC Mediterranean cruise, Valencia has finally shaken off its former slightly provincial reputation.

In the last decade and a half, the vast, iconic Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias cultural complex has been established, the state-of-the-art metro has continued to expand and dozens of hip new bars, restaurants and boutiques have injected new life into the historic centre. Valencia has also fully redeveloped its beach and port area, as is evident even from your cruise ship.

Nevertheless, despite its size and stylista cachet, Valencia retains an unpretentious if tangibly charged air. Valencia has long boasted some of the best nightlife in mainland Spain. The most atmospheric area of the city is undoubtedly the maze-like Barrio del Carmen (in Valenciano “de Carmé”), roughly north of the Mercado Central to the Río Turia, extending up to the Torres de Serranos and west to the Torres de Quart. This once-neglected quarter continues to undergo regeneration, as buildings are renovated and stylish cafés open up next to crumbling townhouses, all of which makes for an incredibly vibrant, alternative neighbourhood.

The oldest part of Valencia is almost entirely encircled by a great loop of the Río Turia, which is now a landscaped riverbed park. In 1956, after serious flooding damaged much of the old town, the river was diverted. The ancient stone bridges remain, but the riverbed now houses cycle ways, footpaths and football pitches, as well as the astonishing Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias, Europe’s largest cultural complex.

The architecture itself is simply stunning: it’s well worth the effort getting here to take in the eye-catching buildings surrounded by huge, shallow pools.

The parking area is located just a few minutes from the cruise terminal so no shuttle service is needed

MSC Parking is bookable online up to 48 hours before your cruise departure. Bookings after the 48 hour deadline can be made directly with MSC Parking, and the same reduced rates will be applied when presenting your cruise travel documents

You can travel from Valencia’s main stations to the cruise terminal by Metro or taxi. There are taxi ranks just outside each of the stations. Depending on the station you initially arrive at in Valencia, you will want to take one of the following Metro lines to reach the port.
From Joaquin Sorolla/Jesus Railway Station: line 5 directly to Grau/Canyamelar station. The Cruise terminal is 1.5 km south of this station.
From the Norte Railway Station or Xativa Metro Station: lines 3 or 5 to Maritim-Serreria station, then take line 6 to Grau/Canyamelar station. The Cruise terminal is 1.5 km south of this station.

Plane

Valencia’s Manises Airport is just 15 km (9 miles) from the port. If driving, follow the airport road to the junction with the V-30 Madrid-Valencia highway, which will take you directly to the port. Taxis are available immediately outside the airport buildings.
Travel time: about 25 minutes, depending on traffic.

Spain

If you’re visiting Spain for the first time, be warned: this is a country that fast becomes an addiction. You might intend to come just for a cruise holiday, a walking tour or a city break, but before you know it you’ll find yourself hooked by something quite different – the celebration of some local fiesta, perhaps, or the otherworldly architecture of Barcelona.

Even in the most over-touristic Mediterranean resorts of the Costa del Sol, you’ll be able to find an authentic bar or restaurant where the locals eat, and a village not far away where an age-old bullfighting tradition owes nothing to tourism.

A holiday to Spain can also show you the large cities of the north like Barcelona, which have reinvented themselves as essential cultural destinations (and don’t all close down for hours for a kip every afternoon).

And when the world now looks to Spain for culinary inspiration – the country has some of the most acclaimed chefs and innovative restaurants in the world – it’s clear that things have changed. Spain, despite the current economic uncertainty, sees itself very differently from a generation ago.

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